Life-Cycle Cost-Optimized Cooling Systems for European Office Buildings

This study compares the life-cycle costs of various conventional and emerging cooling systems in representative European climates and energy markets. Firstly, cooling demands and energy requirements of a multi-story office building are determined in compliance with local building codes in six different European locations. Life-cycle costs of various cooling systems are then calculated using location-specific market prices and economic data. The results indicate that no single cooling system is an optimal choice for all locations. In cold climates, conventional vapour compression systems are shown to have the lowest life-cycle costs. In moderate and warm climates, solar electricity driven vapour compression systems have the lowest life-cycle costs. Absorption and solar thermal cooling systems are shown to be economically infeasible under current market conditions.